Here is the transcript of a press conference with the head coach of Ukraine's national team, Andrea Maldini, ahead of a friendly match against Poland's national team. Video recording of the press conference at this link.

- Congratulations on your appointment. Can you tell us about Oleksandr Romanchuk? He had a very good season. Why did you call him up and what are your impressions of his first training sessions?

- I studied his playing style through video analysis. He played well this season, performing well in defensive roles across various positions. I spoke with him, and we will see what we can achieve together.

- Tomorrow you make your debut with the national team of Ukraine. What are your feelings? Are there any nerves and what are your impressions from meeting the team, from the first training session? And tell us a bit about the squad situation. We haven't seen Ruslan Malinovskiy and Andriy Lunin at practice in Ukraine, will they join the team?

- I am not nervous, I am very happy to be here. I wouldn't call it nerves. The gathering went well. Yes, the selection was quite long, but this is not our excuse. We are glad to be here. Regarding Malinovskiy — he will be in Lviv on June 1st and had some bureaucratic obstacles. And the same goes for Lunin.

- What would you like to say to fans of Ukraine's national team before your debut? And who from Poland's national team would you like to have in your squad?

- I am very connected with Ukraine. It is important for me that Ukrainians are happy thanks to our games. I have always been connected with Ukraine, hoping to see many of our fans tomorrow. I hope the stadium will be blue and yellow, and I will do my best from my side.

Regarding the second question. Poland's national team is very strong, well-known. Your coach has conducted 8 matches, winning 5 of them, with two draws and one loss. I wouldn't want to take anyone from their squad. But we respect them.

- Upcoming are friendly matches and the Nations League. This is not a selection cycle for the World Cup or European Championship. New names are already knocking on the door of the national team. Is this an opportunity now for these footballers to showcase themselves, considering that in the Nations League there is much less responsibility than in selections for major tournaments?

- Of course, this could be an advantage for us. But the national team is a national team. I wouldn't want to divide matches into friendly or unfriendly ones. Every match is very important for us. And I hope we will give young talents the opportunity to showcase themselves as soon as possible.

- What aspects do Taras Stepanenko and Volodymyr Yezersky perform in the coaching staff?

- I am trying to create a team within the team now. Both Taras Stepanenko and Volodymyr Yezersky know Ukrainian football very well. They have an understanding, they help me greatly with players. Taras helps me with certain choices, he sets up players for the game. And Yezersky works more on set pieces. These are very valuable specialists for me.

- Probably you haven't seen the Champions League final, it will end soon. Illia Zabarny came on in the last minutes. Who are you for? Do you support Illia? Have you spoken to him?

- You know, I worked at Marseille. And the team Marseille doesn't have a good relationship with PSG. I would be happy if Illia Zabarny won.

- Have you decided how you will choose the captain?

- For tomorrow's game, the captain will be Andriy Yarmolenko. Then we'll see how it goes. For me, this is not a main issue since all players are responsible. Of course, the role of the captain is important. Tomorrow it will be Yarmolenko.

- Question about the system. A lot of central defenders were called up and there are no nominal right-backs. Will this be a change to a three-man defense or five defenders overall? How do you see Ukraine's future national team in this regard?

- Yes, of course, we have some issues with the right-back position. Maybe we will sometimes play in a three-man defense, maybe four. We'll see. We will use different systems, perhaps place Mykolenko on the right, which would be a surprise for him. (smiling at Mykolenko who also participated in the press conference - ed.)

Schedule of Friendly Matches

On May 31, Ukraine's national team will play against Poland's national team. The match starts at "Tychy Stadium" (Tychy, Poland) at 18:30.

On June 7, Ukraine's national team will play against Denmark's national team. The match starts at "Odense Stadium" (Odense, Denmark) at 19:30.

The start times of the matches are given in Kyiv time.